African Americans Portrayed On Television In The 1950's

Television has played an important role in history since it’s come into existence. The television has been a form of entertainment for all ages and is a valuable resource for advertising. As a result, television has become such an integral part of our everyday lifestyle that we wouldn’t know what to do without it. Over the years, television displayed and continues to popularize the presence of stereotypes perpetuating negative images of African Americans. However, after reading you will see the evolutions of how African Americans portrayal on television has transformed throughout the years. (Thesis Statement)

To begin with, television during the 1950’s had been the economic boom in the United States and was known as the Golden Age of television.

During this period, television saw a significant boom in cable television. The videocassette recorder (VCR) was introduced and allowed people to watch movies in the comfort of their home. As the television network decided to integrate, The Cosby Show became the ultimate turning point. Furthermore, The Cosby Show portrayed an all-black family who lived in a prominent neighborhood. In addition, the father was a doctor, the mother was a lawyer, and all their children had plans to attend prestige colleges. The Cosby Show contrasted a great deal from the depictions of African Americans in the 1950’s Amos ‘n Andy show. Although, it’s a completely better representation of African Americans it was still not a true representation. What the average citizen viewed on television didn’t accurately portray the African American influences in society.

With the introduction of The Cosby Show, the black livelihood was given a new and positive image to look forward to. This show was a step in the right direction for African Americans to aspire to be what is depicted on the television. The Cosby Show was very controversial on both the African American and white community. While researching, the question posed is how do the past roles African Americans play in television sitcoms compare to the current roles? And how does this affect society’s perception of the African American in American

The impact of those roles had effected how African Americans, young and old conceive their selves. Typically these unfavorable depictions reinforce stereotypical images of African Americans. Research indicates that television portrayals can influence people’s attitudes toward one another. Young African American children watch these televisions shows that portray blacks as being thugs and uneducated. Those same children re-enact these negative behaviors leading to television becoming a reality. The depictions of African Americans in these shows truly corrupt African Americans on a daily